Maserati has gone green with this new (mild) hybrid Ghibli.
Maserati, the once renown Italian car manufacturer has been dipping its toes into other powertrain configurations in recent years. Where once was a time you could only have a petrol powered V8, or at a pinch V6; now the Trident marque even has a few oil-burners amongst its ranks. And now it adds its first hybrid variant in the form of the new Maserati Ghibli Hybrid.
The powertrain on this new Ghibli Hybrid is what Maserati has been hyping up for. There are however some caveats, the biggest of which is that the Maserati Ghibli Hybrid isn’t technically a true hybrid, but a mild hybrid instead.
No plugging in to charge up the Ghibli Hybrid just yet, or even an independent electric motor like in a Toyota Prius. Instead, the Ghibli hybrid is powered by a 2.0 litre turbocharged four cylinder mated to a 48 Volt mild hybrid system and an electric supercharger that Maserati terms ‘e-Booster’.
In other words, this powertrain configuration is similar to the T8 system found in the Volvos of today, just without the plug in aspect. That being said, there is a healthy 330 hp and 450 Nm of torque is on hand in the Ghibli Hybrid. A significant weight reduction over the diesel variant of 80 kg, even with the added batteries in the rear to power the e-Booster, also means that Maserati’s first hybrid model is capable of a respectable 5.7 second century sprint to a top speed of 255 km/h.
Blue is the colour to watch out for when differentiating the hybrid variant of Maserati’s mid-sized luxury sedan to the normal Ghiblis. Blue accents on the portholes at the fenders, blue brake callipers and blue trim on the interior signify the hybrid nature of the Ghibli. At the same time, the Ghibli was also given a facelift, with new grille and light clusters on the front and rear.
As for technology, Maserati has enlarged the infotainment screen in this facelifted Ghibli to a whopping 10.1 inch display. This is to make way for its latest-generation Maserati Intelligent Assistant multimedia system.
The Ghibli Hybrid also makes the debut of the Italian car maker’s Maserati Connect program. A program that allows for over-the-air software updates to the car and is another ploy by manufacturers to keep owners firmly attached at the hip to their dealer network.
The Ghibli Hybrid is Maserati’s first attempt at electrification. Considering it was an Italian who discovered electricity, it did take the Italians a while to produce a viable electric car. Built in its Turin plant, this may be first Maserati to receive electrification but it certainly won’t be the last, as Maserati has confirmed for an all-electric GranTurismo and GranCabrio in 2021. Now, that would indeed be electrifying.
More information about the Ghibli Hybrid can be found in the press release below:
Modena, 16 July 2020 – The spark of electrification ignites Maserati’s future: with the new Ghibli Hybrid, the Trident Brand enters the world of electrification.
The new Ghibli Hybrid represents one of the most ambitious projects for Maserati, which after the announcement of the new engine for the MC20 super sports car now sets the seal on another step forward towards the brand’s new Era.
The choice to introduce the hybrid technology on the Ghibli sedan is no coincidence: this model, with over 100,000 units produced since its launch in 2013, perfectly embodies the Modena-based manufacturer’s DNA.
In fact, the challenge facing Maserati was to enter the world of electrification without altering the brand’s core philosophy and values. The result? The creation of the best possible hybrid. What’s more, Ghibli Hybrid will retain the unmistakable sound that has always distinguished every Maserati.
The arrival of the new Ghibli Hybrid thus expands the Maserati range, which is now even more competitive and responsive to the demands of the market.
Design
Ghibli Hybrid is immediately recognisable, thanks in part to the new design of both exterior and interior. The common denominator of the restyling, developed by the Centro Stile Maserati, is the blue colour, chosen to identify all cars with hybrid technology and the new world they represent.
On the exterior, the blue colour characterises the three iconic side air ducts, the brake calipers and the thunderbolt in the oval that encloses the Trident on the rear pillar. The same blue colour reappears inside the car, in particular on the embroidered seams of the seats. The new Ghibli Hybrid also introduces new stylistic contents, starting from the new front grille, with bars redesigned to represent a tuning fork, a musical device that emits a sound of extreme purity, and which also evokes the Trident symbol itself. There are significant changes at the rear of the car, where the light clusters have been completely restyled, with a boomerang-like profile inspired by the 3200 GT and the Alfieri concept car.
Mild Hybrid
In perfect harmony with its DNA, Maserati has chosen a hybrid solution focused primarily on improving performance, while also reducing fuel consumption and cutting emissions.
The hybrid technology exploits kinetic energy the car accumulates when in motion, recovering it and transforming it into electricity during deceleration and braking, and storing it in a battery.
The innovative powertrain, the outcome of in-depth engineering development work by the technicians and engineers of the Maserati Innovation Lab in Modena, combines an internal combustion engine (4 cylinders, turbo, displacement of 2.0 l) with a 48 volt alternator and an additional electric supercharger (e-Booster), supported by a battery. This solution is unique in its segment, and is the first in a new generation of powertrains, with the perfect trade-off between performance, efficiency and driving pleasure.
The battery is mounted in the rear of the car, with benefits in terms of improved weight distribution.
This version weighs about 80 kg less than the Diesel.
Thanks to maximum power output of 330 hp and torque of 450 Nm delivered from just 1,500 rpm, the new Ghibli Hybrid’s performance data are very impressive: top speed of 255 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds.
Ghibli Hybrid occupants will still revel in the unmistakable sound that characterises all Maserati models, thanks to the optimised exhaust, which includes specially designed resonators.
Connectivity
Ghibli Hybrid also marks the debut of the new Maserati Connect program, which enables a constant connection with the car: the information exchange continues when on the move, to improve the services offered to the driver. As well as updating the software packages, the system performs checks on the car and monitors the Safety Security services in emergencies.
The Maserati Intelligent Assistant multimedia system is latest-generation, based on digital inputs from Android Automotive, software that delivers an innovative User Experience fully customisable to the driver’s personal preferences. The multimedia system’s HD screen, with new graphics, more user-friendly and without surrounds, is increased in size from 8”4 to 10”1. A new instrument panel with digital devices and new graphics is also introduced.
Electrification the Maserati way
The new Ghibli Hybrid represents the first step in a plan that will lead to the electrification of all new Maserati models. The Brand’s first all-electric cars will be the new GranTurismo and GranCabrio, scheduled for 2021.
